Metal Gear Solid: A Just Cause
by delta7890
Summary: The Dome, a forboding military installation. When rumors of nuclear weapons arrive, Snake is sent to investigate. Upon reaching The Dome itself, and penatrating its shell, a new danger surfaces as the base is overrun by familiar foes...and some unknown
1. Inside The Dome

The air about him was dense…humid, a probable result of a rain storm that had just passed. The storm worked to his advantage however, wetting the forest floor, thereby muffling the sound of his footsteps. These measures of stealth were required…they always were. To give away his position, to expose himself to the enemy was to risk his life and compromise his mission, never a good thing. The figure grumbled to himself as he stepped in a rather deep puddle, soaking him up to his shin. A curse was muttered under his breath as he pulled his leg out of the water, most likely containing the wastes of some kind of forest animal native to the area.  
  
No sooner had his legged been pulled free of the dampness when a loud ring erupted within his ear. As he had done many times before, the man fell to his knees and placed a hand over the corresponding ear, still buzzing with his Codec's trademark ring tone. The man was the first to speak as the conversation started.  
  
"Otacon?"  
  
"Snake? How's the mission progressing?"  
  
"Well enough, though I can't say I enjoy trudging through collected rainwater. God knows what's in it…"  
  
"Deal with it. Can you see The Dome yet?"  
  
"I can see a clearing in the forest, but nothing on visual. Hold on, I'll try out my goggles."  
  
"Hybrid ultraviolet and night vision goggles. It's the least expensive method of detecting stealth objects that don't put off enough heat to be recognized by infrared vision."  
  
"Heh, always ready to advertise your new toys?"  
  
"Don't thank me, Mei Ling was the one to send us this equipment, all free of charge for the most part."  
  
Snake only chuckled as he reached down for a pair of goggles that hung loose around his neck. With the slight motion of a finger, he flipped it on before putting the binocular-like tool to his eyes. He could indeed see the exterior shell of The Dome, a military facility that used a large- scale stealth device, not unlike the one Otacon had developed years ago. It's function was, obviously, to conceal the installation, based in a large forest area of Montana. Many hunters and hikers came through this forest, and if any one of them were to discover its presence, well, it wouldn't be good…  
  
"Alright, I have visual confirmation of The Dome. Any pearls of wisdom you'd like to share before I go in?"  
  
"Just a quick review of your objectives and the background of the mission."  
  
"Fair enough…"  
  
"Alright then…as you know, this base, known by its nickname, 'The Dome', is rumored to be housing a new type of nuclear weapon. We have reason to believe it could very well be a new type of Metal Gear. We'll need you to confirm this, most likely with your Digital Camera-"  
  
"Hold on, this is sounding far too much like that Tanker mission…"  
  
"Don't worry, I didn't receive any anonymous tips regarding this mission, though I would advise you to shoot out any Cyphers that come your way…just in case."  
  
"Funny."  
  
"…At any rate, you'll need to gain access to the base and learn where the weapon is stored. Be careful though, the installation is guarded by several Army Ranger units, some of the best the military has to offer."  
  
"Completely unaware of the situation?"  
  
"Would it matter if they were? Report back to me once you gain visual confirmation of the new weapon and we'll decide what to do based on the severity of the weapon. I'll still check up on you periodically of course, but if anything comes up, contact me. My frequency is 141.12. I set up another frequency for the saving of mission progress data, 140.96."  
  
"Saving mission data? This isn't a video game…"  
  
"No, but it's always nice to have a record of things, and you can even use it to save pictures taken with your digital camera."  
  
"You think of everything, don't you?"  
  
"I am responsible for planning these things out you know…anyways, I've gotta get back to digging up some more info regarding the operation."  
  
"Alright, Snake out."  
  
Snake sighed in relief as he switched his Codec off and stood up once more. With a grunt, he trudged onward through the thick slush of water, leaves and twigs that had covered the entirety of the forest floor. The dome was just ahead, growing larger with each of his steps. In no time at all, he had left the safety and concealment of the trees. The dome itself was solid, though most likely transparent on a one-way level. He couldn't see through it, and wouldn't be able to unless he had a pair of x-ray goggles. His best chance of approaching was a slow and steady one.  
  
With an outward sigh, he dropped to the ground and began to crawl forwards, slowly. Though the enemy wouldn't be able to fire upon him without leaving The Dome itself, there was no excuse for them not to sound the alarm, resulting in full preparation in the form of a firing squad once he set foot inside the base.  
  
The next half-hour was nerve-wracking as Snake made his silent approach. His senses fully-tuned, ready to react at the slightest sign of danger. More than once a bird's chip or a coyote's howl made his heart skip a beat. Once upon the exterior wall of The Dome, Snake quickly flattened himself against the surface, and searched frantically for an entry. By luck alone, a small door-like entryway could seen several meters from his position. Snake sighed to himself as he side-stepped his way over to the entry. The back of his sneaking suit slid over the glass-like material that formed The Dome's shell. Snake sighed once more, this time in relief as he reached the door. With a deep breath, Snake approached the door, very much similar to the doors found in the Plant. However, instead of the expected 'swoosh' of the door, he was greeted by a loud buzz. Access denied…  
  
"Dammit…"  
  
In a small fit of rage, Snake slammed his fist down upon the door in defiance. He was quick to regret it however, as a muffled voice from the other side could be heard.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"Shit!"  
  
Snake was quick to throw himself against the surface of the shell, though he remained calm. This calmness was broken however as his muscles tightened, a reaction to the 'fwoosh' of the now opening door. An Army Ranger, surprisingly young stepped out into the open, completely unaware of what he had gotten himself into.  
  
With a smug smile, Snake threw his arms around the man's neck, applying pressure as he did. The Ranger yelled in surprise as he was dragged away from the door. Releasing one arm, Snake went for his M-9, the same one he used on the Tanker. He smiled some before speaking as he pulled the trigger, sending forth a small tranquilizer dart into the man's jugular vein.  
  
"Nighty, night…"  
  
The Ranger's struggles weakened as the sedation took effect. His grunts of defiance also weakened as he slowly, yet steadily slipped into slumber. With a gentle 'thud', the man fell to the ground, unconscious. Snake grinned slightly as he crouched, checking for weapons and ammo. The M4 was far too robust to use as a stealth weapon, though the Glock 31 could prove useful. Complimented by ammo and rations, Snake was set to go. Before he rose to his feet however, Snake did check one last pocket, of which his curiosity was rewarded upon finding a level 1 security card.  
  
Silently thanking the man for the equipment, Snake stood up, stretching a bit before walking over towards the door, and entering as it slid open for him. What had been revealed was a long corridor, the interior of a building no doubt. Snake would have to find some kind of node to log into in order to gain access to the building's floor plans. With a soft sigh, he set out to do just that, taking his first steps inside The Dome. 


	2. Unanswered Questions

A series of bright ceiling lights lit the corridor that went down far beyond his vision. It wasn't very wide, only enough to allow two bodies to pass through. Various doors were set at regular intervals, as if the building's architect obsessed over a geometrically perfect building and lost his mind along the way. The scenery was clean, bland, just like so many other military run buildings. It had a shine to it along the floor and walls that made it seem as though a giant cleansing machine had run up and down the hallway spraying and scrubbing in a demented manner to free all areas from dust and grime.  
  
Snake was cautious as he made his way down the long horizontal shaft. In this area, he had no cover, no boxes to hide behind. All he had was his M-9 and a quick trigger finger. By luck alone, no other guards showed their faces, though it didn't seem like much of a good omen. Something was terribly wrong… Snake shook his paranoia away as he reached a door half- way down the corridor. He had searched other rooms as he traveled, and by the looks of things, he was in the soldier's quarters. Not much was present in the rooms he peered into, aside from the usual setup of cots and other personal belongings.  
  
Snake instinctively pressed his ear against the door before opening. A sigh of relief followed as no chatter or movement of Rangers could be heard from the other side. Despite this, he turned the knob and pushed against the door slowly, revealing a cluttered room, most likely a low- level CO's office. Nothing stood out in particular. A bookshelf, TV, radio, and a desk with-  
  
"A computer…"  
  
Snake mused with curiosity as he approached the desk, swinging around its corners and plopping himself in the chair conveniently located at the desk itself. Though he was fairly familiar with computers, he knew Otacon would be able to do anything that needed doing in far less time than Snake himself could. A smile spread across his face as he activated his Codec.  
  
"Otacon? I've found a computer."  
  
The voice on the other end sounded somewhat happy, though showed a hint of irritation, as if Otacon was interrupted…  
  
"Great work Snake. Can you find the IP address for me?"  
  
"How would I find something like that?"  
  
Otacon sighed and took a few breaths before continuing. This could take a while…  
  
"Okay, I'll walk you through it, but listen carefully to my instructions…"  
  
Snake sighed with frustration as he began what would be a half-an- hour's effort. Between working through the horribly programmed operating system and hacking through several security levels, it indeed took that amount of time, and possibly a bit more. Otacon's voice was strained with exhaustion, though also relief as the process came to a near end…  
  
"…And just open that file, and read the number off to me. I'll do the rest from here."  
  
"Alright…one-nine-zero dot two-two-zero dot six-five dot eight-zero. That's it."  
  
"Okay…parsing the data…Bingo! Alright, I've got the floor plans of the first level of the Dome. I'll transfer them to you through your Codec, you should be able to integrate it with your Soliton Radar system."  
  
"Damn, you really *do* think of everything."  
  
Otacon chuckled at Snake's praise as Snake himself proceeded to shut the terminal down. Now that he had the floor plans, all he had to do-  
  
His train of thought was cut short as blinding klaxons and deafening sirens blared throughout the entire facility. Snake stood up with a start as his heart leapt into his throat, which had already run dry. Only one word went through his mind as visions of what would certainly come flashed through his mind;  
  
"Shit."  
  
Snake wasn't the only one to hear the sirens however. Running footsteps could be heard outside in the corridor, approaching quickly. Snake grew tense as Otacon nearly yelled through his Codec.  
  
"Snake?! What did you do?!"  
  
"I didn't do anything! I swear! Dammit…"  
  
Snake grew frustrated as he made a sorry attempt to defend himself…but what could've gone wrong? Snake's eyes rapidly darted around the room as he recollected the events leading up to the present… He approached through the woods, crawled through the grass, side-stepped along the shell, reached the door…and ran into that guard. Dammit! That must've been it…but how could he have waken up so fast?  
  
In the next instant, more questions were raised as Snake nearly leaped out of his skin at the sound of assault rifle fire originating from farther down the corridor. They weren't striking the door, and they wouldn't attack unless they saw him…why were they firing? His question was answered somewhat as a Ranger barked commands, most likely to his teammates. The voice, though harsh, was muffled between the solidness of the door and the sound of gunfire.  
  
"Wipe them out! We can't let them seize thi-GAAAH!"  
  
A shrill scream was followed by a thick liquid-like gurgle as bullets tore through the Ranger as if he were made of paper. What the hell was going on? Quietly and cautiously as he could, Snake tip-toed towards the door of the room, gently grasping the doorknob as he twisted it around. He pulled the door open just enough to catch a view at what was happening. Army Rangers, armed with M4s were attacking unknown assailants, armed with HK33's. Snake squinted for better clarity as he tried to identify the attackers…they looked…familiar.  
  
As yet another Ranger was torn to bits, it hit him. Though the equipment was different, the uniforms and insignia were the same…four years ago, on the island of Shadow Moses… Somehow, the Genome Soldiers, or what was left of them, were here…but why? Why this base? As if his mind wasn't already flooded with questions, these new ones cropped up.  
  
He had no time to ponder however, as the last of the Rangers fell. The Genome Soldiers continued down the hallway, towards his door. They walked slowly, cautiously, screening the area for any survivors. Closing the door would simply draw attention. Instead, Snake simply walked away, careful not to make too much sound as he brought himself around the back of the desk, crawling underneath its small space, made for leg room. The front of the desk was blocked with a large metal plate that didn't quite touch the floor's surface. Snake tensed as two guards entered the room slowly, turning every which way as was indicated by the movements of their feet. One guard peered over towards the desk and shrugged. Nothing notable.  
  
"Okay, let's check the other rooms, and meet with the Boss afterwards for our orders."  
  
"Right."  
  
The two men plodded off, their boots clattered upon the mesh-like floor of the corridor, slowly fading out of hearing range. Snake sighed in relief as he crawled out from under the desk, more than ready to leave the room. After closing his eyes and taking one last, deep breath, he carefully stepped out into the corridor, looking both ways before proceeding, and kept a steady hand upon his Berretta. A guard patrolled innocently down the end of the hallway Snake he arrived from. With any luck, he wouldn't be turning around as Snake headed down the other way, striding briskly in an attempt to remain mostly silent while keeping a good pace.  
  
A door at then far end of the corridor lay in view as Snake approached, hopefully the exit of the soldier's quarters. Like the door that led him inside The Dome, it was electronically, but its security level was 1, a level Snake himself had. Luckily, the new models of cards didn't require that the user had them in hand upon approach, evident as the door slid open casually, revealing to Snake just how large The Dome truly was. From this view, he could easily see that there were three main buildings, with a central spire along with them. The tower was quite tall, and probably touched the ceiling of The Dome's stealth shell, it's transparency seen as the stealth module only worked on the exterior.  
  
As Snake looked around, something to his right caught his attention. There, descending upon what appeared to be a helipad, through an open portion of the shell, came a Chinook troop carrier, landing next to several others of the same model. It touched down with relative ease, at once releasing men from its massive hollowed interior. Snake quickly grabbed a hold of his digital camera in an attempt to snatch off a photo of the Genome Soldiers on site. Zooming in with its lens, he had caught a hold of something far more interesting as five figures slowly stepped out of the helicopter. Four male, one female, each varying in stature.  
  
The first man was of average height. Short spiky black hair grew from the man's scalp. A good portion of it blocked by a large bandana, covering the eyes. Either this man was a fool, or he was blind. The man's suit was black, vaguely resembling the sneaking suit Snake wore on Shadow Moses. A large katana was slung across his shoulder…a blind ninja? Interesting…  
  
The next man seemed normal enough. A khaki-colored trench coat concealed most of the man's features, though he did notice that his expression was stern, certainly not the kind of man to screw around with. He was fairly tall too, though his bulk was unknown. Gathering by the size of the trench coat he wore however, the man was more than likely built like a brick shit house. Just his luck…  
  
The woman of the group was a bit shorter than the men around her. Definitely a sniper…man was that starting to get a bit cliché. A T-76 Longbow Tactical sniper rifle was slung around the back of her shoulder. Her hair was fiery, crimson. She looked a bit young, but age didn't necessarily make a difference in battle. The suit she wore was a bit tight- fitting. Black, with some patches of hardened armor, possibly made of a thick metal-Kevlar composite…  
  
The fourth man was a bit of wild looking one, young, with a self- assured smirk on his face. Spiked brown hair, higher than that of his ninja-like counterpart, wavered as the copter's rotors slowed to a halt. His clothing was also a bit tight fitting. Somehow, he reminded Snake of a character in a popular fighting game…Jacky? Snake shook his head, somehow embarrassed that he was using a fictional character to identify with one of the enemy…  
  
It was then that the final figure walked out of the chopper. His movements made him seem…menacing. A melancholic, almost grim look upon his face as he stepped forwards to join the rest of his squad. He wore a dark brown trench coat with similarly colored apparel covering the rest of his body. His hair was shoulder length, and blonde. For a moment, Snake almost thought he was seeing Liquid right in front of him, though the man was far younger, and Liquid was, by most means, dead.  
  
An insignia, different from the Genome Soldiers was planted upon each member's left shoulder. Snake was quick to snap a photo of this, immediately transferring it to Otacon as he opened the frequency through his Codec.  
  
"Otacon, we've got a problem…The Dome has been taken over."  
  
Otacon showed much surprise in his voice as he spoke.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. These guys look like remnants of the Genome army from Shadow Moses, and it looks like they have a new leading squad…I sent the insignia of the leading squad to you through the Codec."  
  
A few clicks of a mouse and the tapping at a keyboard could be heard as Otacon took the subtle hint to check it out.  
  
"Opening the file, and…oh…this isn't good…"  
  
"That was not what I wanted to hear…"  
  
"These men are the Greeks. A Special Operations unit on par with Fox- Hound. Consisting of five members, they've participated in Desert Storm, the Gulf War, and even Enduring Freedom, or at least, the start of the campaign. These guys were also there at Shadow Moses, hired as an elite guard unit by ArmsTech until Fox-Hound arrived. Last I heard they'd gone solo…what they're doing with the Genome soldiers is beyond me…"  
  
"Great…just great…"  
  
"If a group like that is here, and they've taken over, they must be after something valuable. I'll need you to investigate into the matter further while I dig up some info on these guys…"  
  
"Alright, I'll call if any more hell breaks loose."  
  
Otacon chuckled as he said a simple farewell, closing the channel. With a sigh, Snake looked towards the Greeks, now leaving the helipad. He grabbed a hold of his Berretta and continued, very unsure of where to go. Two other buildings remained, perhaps he'd search there. The building the helipad laid upon was a definite no-no, which only left the one to his upper-left. He forced a smile as he brought himself to walk onwards, deeper into The Dome, his mind raging with unanswered questions. 


	3. He's Solid Snake

His mind was hardly at ease as Snake plodded towards the building in front of him, boots did not make much sound as they trampled across ground, covered in a thick layer of road-like pavement. The distance between the soldiers' quarters and his destination was not long, only taking a few minutes to reach. A few guards had come along here and there, but were easily dispatched with the M-9 once they got too close for comfort. Though time had passed, the Genome Soldiers were as idiotic as they were in Shadow Moses, easily deceived and taken care of. It was a wonder they were able to take out the Army Rangers themselves, though an HK33 was nothing to scoff at, and he was certain they carried other weapons as well…  
  
Snake stopped short upon reaching the door to the new area, it's labeling written in bold black lettering; "Armory". Looks like he'd reached the weapons storage area… While a few rooms would certainly give way to his security card, the heavy artillery was bound to be locked away, only allowing access to those with higher clearances. With a firm grip upon his Glock, he stepped forward slowly, and almost into the path of a guard. Snake nearly had a heart attack as he threw himself upon the wall next to the doorway, but it was too late. The Genome Soldier took off in the opposite direction, undoubtedly searching for backup. Snake cursed loudly as he whipped around the wall, facing the doorway and peering inside. He was quick to fire off a well-guided shot as the guard ran down the hallway. The .45 caliber bullet pierced the back of the man's left shin, releasing a steady stream of blood as the soldier fell down in a cry of pain.  
  
Snake grinned inwardly as he ran for the guard, switching his Glock for his Berretta. The Genome Solider attempted to rise to a stand, but to no avail. He turned his head, a worried expression evident as he approached.  
  
"You…you're that…Snake! The old Boss's brother!"  
  
Snake only chuckled as he brought his weapon to bear.  
  
"Too bad you're the only one who'll know."  
  
With that, the modified tranquilizer dart shot out from the gun's barrel, zipping towards its target, impacting upon the man's forehead. The needle easily pierced through the man's balaclava releasing its sedating venom into his bloodstream. He was knocked out almost instantly. A smile spread across his face as he approached the unconscious guard and searched him, digging through the various pockets and holsters along the man' uniform. Sadly, his efforts did not bear fruit. Aside from a few half- eaten rations, the man was unarmed, a good explanation as to why the guard chose to run instead of fight. All the same, he knew not to leave a guard out in the open, sleeping or not. Making his way into one of few rooms that allowed him access, he dragged the guard with him. Damn was he heavy… A nearby locker proved to be a valuable opportunity, as he not-too-gently stuffed the poor guy inside. Snake thought he heard him stir before the locker door slammed into his head as it closed.  
  
He only shrugged inwardly as approached a weapons rack opposite of the lockers. It was a sad sight, only the lowest level weapons were kept here; stun and chaff grenades. A few empty magazines, and a USP, out of ammo. Snake sighed as he took the grenades from their racks, tucking them away inside his sneaking suit, placing them in the various holsters designed to carry such devices. No sense in leaving them behind.  
  
Upon further discovery of the building, Snake only found a few more items of interest, namely some extra rations and bandages, a pitiful find indeed. With no other rooms available to him, he simply left the armory altogether, but did have to dispatch a few guards along the way. Apparently their friend, still in deep state of slumber inside the locker, had managed to call for some backup. The fight itself wasn't very intense, though he did manage to injury his shoulder. Minor, but nevertheless painful.  
  
Snake once again stepped out into the open area that connected the three main buildings and the central tower. Having already checked two of the three buildings, he figured he'd might as well investigate the third, most likely a hanger. He grew quite curious at the lack of patrol units outside the buildings…it was very strange, only a small platoon could be seen, security should have been tighter. Either they were careless…or something was up…  
  
As if on cue, gunshots could be heard, followed quickly by several bullets, barely missing Snake as he leaped back instinctively. Where the hell was that coming from? his question was answered as looked upon the towering spire, the red laser sighting of a sniper rifle shown through one of window emplacements. Just perfect. Here he was, out in the open, no cover, no proper weapons, and was now under the fire of a sniper…perhaps that woman? Snake wasn't eager to check up on it as he made a quick dash towards the hanger, his legs pumped hard as he approached the building, muscles tense, his mind alert, and a steady flow of adrenaline flowing through his veins. The sniper fired again, this time hitting its mark, as Snake stumbled and cried out in pain, a bullet piercing his left thigh. The door was almost within reach, he could make it! His vision grew fuzzy as he kept onward. Had he really lost that much blood? He took a moment to look upon his wound, startled that only a trickle of blood dripped from where the needle…needle?! It was then he realized that the sniper was using tranquilizer modifications, a rarity among his enemies. If they wanted him alive, it must only mean that they want something from him… Snake's thought became jumbled and distorted as the toxins took their toll. His vision blackened, his hearing warped, and all other senses failed. As the last of his blurred thought ran through his mind, his muscles gave way, sending him crashing to the ground as darkness enveloped him…  
  
Snake awoke slowly and groggily in an unfamiliar setting, blinded by the bright ceiling lamp. Distorted voices could be heard as he struggled for consciousness, as if were drowning in water, fighting for his life.  
  
"Sooo…ou'rrr…ake…."  
  
He groaned as he attempted to sit, the world around him becoming a bit more clear to him. He felt what he thought was a hand helping him upright. He turned towards the general direction of the person beside him, and smiled weakly. At last, his senses had returned to him, for the most part, as a small amount of drowsiness remained. The person in front of him was no doubt, an Army Ranger. How he landed in here was anyone's guess.  
  
"Man, you were knocked out for quite some time…they say a person can knock an elephant out with those tranqs."  
  
"No kidding…feels like the sandman opened up a can of whoop-ass on me…"  
  
The Ranger chuckled lightly before offering his hand, which of course, Snake shook heartily.  
  
"Name's Robert Dashel, Junior Lieutenant. You're lucky Epsilon decided to use tranqs instead of her magnum bullets. I doubt you'd still be alive…"  
  
"Epsilon? The sniper?"  
  
"Yeah, Epsilon, a top-class squad member of the Greeks. They say he accuracy is nearly infallible, and has been known for hitting her mark a mile away."  
  
"That's one hell of a sniper, she use diazepam or pentazemin?"  
  
Robert shook his head.  
  
"No, and that's the strange thing. Some people say her body naturally creates the chemicals involved in calming nerves, making her a prime candidate for becoming a sniper. I don't believe it though…it's impossible for the human body to create that stuff without suffering from some kind of genetic defect."  
  
"So what do you believe?"  
  
"I think her genetic code must have been altered somehow…"  
  
"Probably through gene therapy, same as those soldiers."  
  
"Gene therapy? So that's how they did it…I'm betting the other Greeks went through the same thing…"  
  
"You know about the Greeks?"  
  
The Ranger smirked and chuckled to himself as he stood up and stretched.  
  
"Of course, we're pretty much a Spec Ops group too you know. And besides, the Greeks are a pretty famous bunch."  
  
Snake grunted in contempt. It seemed like he was always the last to know…  
  
"The Greeks are a Spec Ops unit, much like the renowned Fox-Hound, and very close to their skill level. The squad comprises of five members, each named after a letter in the Greek alphabet… Zeta…he's the newest of 'em from what I've heard. A rookie to the group, but not to battle. This guy has speed and agility that will boggle your mind. If you've seen any of the crazy acrobatics in Hong Kong eschew movies, that's the kind of stuff he can pull…"  
  
"Gene therapy again?"  
  
"I wouldn't know how else he could manage to do that stuff, not unless he trained his body intensely, but we have guys who push themselves to the limit like that and they could never dream of matching those moves…"  
  
"It might be why they're so closely linked to the Genome Soldiers…"  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine."  
  
"What about the other Greeks?"  
  
"Well, there's Sigma. Big guy, built like a truck. He doesn't speak much, and he's very loyal. They say the guy can't feel pain…some kind of accident that damaged his nerves. You could slam a sledgehammer into that beast and he wouldn't do so much as flinch."  
  
"That wouldn't stop injury…"  
  
"No, but it wouldn't stop him either. He can push himself farther than any other man on Earth, including you. He's dangerous that one…unless you can find a way to take him out quick, he'll tear you to pieces."  
  
"Well, sounds like quite the gentleman…"  
  
"Heh, certainly not as courteous as Alpha, a master in the ninja arts. The guy uses a katana so well, you'd think he was born with it. He was one of the best out there, until he lost his sight that is…"  
  
"How the hell did he pull that off?"  
  
"Nobody knows, though he hasn't been the same since. He never gave up though, and he's almost reached his former level of excellence. However, he's never surpassed it, something that bugs the hell out of him. Despite that, he's still one hell of a swordsman, blind or not."  
  
"Lovely squad they have…reminds me of Fox-Hound far too much…"  
  
Robert continued as if he ignored his comment, speaking in the same cool manner.  
  
"And there's the last one…Delta…"  
  
"Delta…blonde, shoulder-length hair, trench coat right?"  
  
The Ranger blinked in surprise.  
  
"Yeah…the guy's young, very young. Only about twenty-three. You wouldn't guess it by the way he commands his squad though… People say he's been through tough times…made him cold, but effective… Tell me though, how did you now about them?"  
  
"I saw the group unload out of a Chinook atop the hanger building, along with a few platoons of the Genome Soldiers. Quite a bunch…"  
  
The soldier was about to respond when Snake held his hand up in the air, signaling him to stop. A ring had burst in his ear, someone, probably Otacon was hailing him. Placing his hand to the corresponding ear, he answered.  
  
"This is Snake."  
  
"Snake?! Where the heck have you been?! I've been calling you for the past hour now!"  
  
"Someone decided I needed a nap. Epsilon, the sniper of the Greeks. She used a modified T-76 to bring down. Worked pretty damn well too…"  
  
"I see…well, so much for the element of surprise, though I guessed that would happen eventually. We need you continue with your mission, ASAP."  
  
"Right, I'll get going immedi-"  
  
Snake was cut off as the Ranger spoke, pointing towards an electronically-locked door.  
  
"You think I'm here on my free will? This room is locked from the outside, only the Greeks can open the door."  
  
Snake cursed under his breath as he explained the situation to his partner.  
  
"Okay, bad news, I'm locked up here. The door is electronically- locked, and I don't have the equipment to bust loose."  
  
"They swiped your gear, huh?"  
  
He quickly checked himself, noting that all of his grenades, weapons, rations and so forth were gone. Even his security card had been swiped. Snake sighed as he responded to Otacon's question.  
  
"Yeah, they took all of it."  
  
"Any idea where you are?"  
  
Snake thought for a moment, and shook his head pitifully. For all he knew, he could be in an off-site containment cell. Then, a thought struck; perhaps that Ranger would know… He put Otacon on hold for a moment as he questioned the soldier.  
  
"Any idea of where this place is?"  
  
The soldier looked up. He had taken the opportunity to sit down while Snake was talking. He smiled a bit before responding informatively.  
  
"Yeah, we're inside the Personal Quarters building, or a subsection of it.  
  
"Funny, I never saw this place when I was snooping around…"  
  
"Not surprising, the entrance was made to blend in with the wall structures. Only the personnel know about this place."  
  
"So how did our charming friends know to bring us here?"  
  
The Ranger only shrugged, and he sighed in unison. They could figure that out later.  
  
"Otacon? I'm being held in some kind of detention center, somewhere in the Personnel Quarters building."  
  
"Alright, just a sec…there, I've got you. I'll see if I can't reprogram the lock's mechanism, or perhaps even disable it. It would be timed of course, not permanent, but that would be the best thing to do anyways. Wouldn't want the Genome Soldiers, or even the Greeks to find the door wide open."  
  
"Heh…how long will it take?"  
  
"A couple of minutes at the most. Trust me, this is a piece of cake compared to some of the other stuff I've pulled."  
  
The two laughed for a brief moment. Indeed, Otacon had proved himself to be quite a skilled hacker…  
  
"Alright Snake, I'll catch you later, but remember, I can only have the door opened for a little while. How's thirty seconds?"  
  
"More than enough. Later Otacon."  
  
Snake let his hand fall to his side as the transmission ended. Good old Otacon…  
  
"So, this "Otacon" is gonna bust you out huh?"  
  
He looked up with a dark smile, chuckling a bit under his breath.  
  
"Yeah, the guy's a whiz with computers."  
  
"He isn't…THE Otacon, is he?"  
  
Snake stared him quizzically.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I remember reading a book…about this incident at "Shadow Moses"…one of the guys in that story was named Otacon, and he was great with computers too so…"  
  
"So you're thinking he's the Otacon from shadow Moses, and that I'm Solid Snake, right?"  
  
Robert chuckled as he responded coolly.  
  
"Well, not too many people wear sneaking suits these days, and they don't work solo either…"  
  
Snake sighed. He swore he was going to kill Natasha for publishing that damn book. This wasn't the first time that book had revealed his identity…why did it have to become a New York Times Bestseller?  
  
"Well…you pretty much hit the nail on the head, but I'm gonna clear a few things up right now; I'm on a mission, and the last thing I need is to be identified, though I'm certain that was blown out of the water. Secondly, make no mistake, I'm not a legend. A legend is a story, someone tells it, someone listens, everybody passes it on. I'm just a soldier, nothing more, nothing less, got it?"  
  
Robert wasn't quite sure how to respond, but nodded eventually. The Snake here was definitely the Snake from that book. Maybe that story was true after all… The soldier's thought was interrupted as the door in front of them slid open without warning. His heart skipped a beat, thinking one of the Greeks had come back for another round of "how-much-pain-can-he- take". A sigh of relief followed when it hit him; that Otacon guy had opened the door.  
  
Before the man in the sneaking suit could leave, the Ranger fished something out of his pocket, and handed it to him. It was a level 2 security card.  
  
"You'll need this if you want to advance. Your best bet to uncover what the hell is going on is to meet up with the captured COs. They'll be somewhere on the basement one level. You can get there if you find a level three card, as the elevator in the central tower won't work without it."  
  
Snake nodded, approaching the open door without delay, looking back upon Robert, noticing the soldier had not moved. He contemplated taking him along for the ride, but decided against it, he'd only slow him down. Robert did speak however, as he went to leave.  
  
"One-four-oh-eighty-seven, that's my Codec frequency. If you need to know anything about the Greeks or this base, contact me."  
  
Snake smiled and nodded in appreciation, making a mental note of the frequency. He smiled back as Snake walked out of sight, the door closing soon after. He only hoped this guy would make it through…but if anyone could do it…he could. After all…he's Solid Snake. 


	4. Leaving the dead to lie still

The door behind him closed with a mechanical hiss and snap, indicating that it had been locked shut. Sure enough, there he was, back in that lovely little corridor inside the Personnel Quarters facility, and just as Robert had said, the door was made to blend in with the wall. This was discovered as Snake snapped around, a reaction to the slight amount of noise generated from the door's closure, mused at how well the door camouflaged itself.  
  
Not wanting, or needing to linger upon the intricacies of the door, Snake continued with his mission. His new objective was to locate his missing gear, probably stored somewhere within corridor, most likely within a series of lockers he'd passed by before. He could see the metallic containers not far up ahead, and approached them with caution. Unarmed and outnumbered, detection would pretty much equal his death, or imprisonment in such a way that the odds of him ever seeing natural sunlight again would be shot to hell. An unnerving thought indeed.  
  
Three lockers down, Snake had found what he was looking for; all of his gear and supplies were there, safely contained in a jet-black duffle bag, oddly imprinted with a Nike Swoosh. He shrugged inwardly as he pulled his stuff out, guns, ammo, rations, all of it was there and was easily put back into place. He'd decided to make a mental note of the bag as he closed the locker door. It could come in handy…  
  
His train of thought was broken as a man's loud groan pierced the silence of the corridor. Turning his head towards the area's exit, Snake could see the silhouette of a soldier, stumbling about as he walked. A hand seemed to be clasped upon his skull as a few groggily spoken words sputtered out.  
  
"Jesus, my head…what the hell did that…oh no…"  
  
His final words were a groan of disbelief as the solider was met with the all-too-familiar sight of the M-9's extended barrel, modified to work as a silencer. With an inward chuckle, Snake addressed the man.  
  
"This just isn't your day…"  
  
An instant later, the Genome Soldier from before was out cold…again, and stuffed into a nearby locker…again, though somehow Snake managed to avoid smashing the soldier's head when he closed the door. As he stuffed the man inside, Snake thought he saw he dog tag, indicating the man was named "Johnny Sasaki"…where had he heard that name from? Another inward shrug was made as he made his way towards the very same exit that "Johnny" had emerged from.  
  
The door of the exit slid open efficiently, basking Snake in the light of several spotlights monitoring the premises, two each mounted on the three structures, and yet another three inside the central tower. Guards stood at each of these spotlights, aiming them by hand. His next motive was to see what new weapons would be available to him in the Armory, which could pose a problem as a result of these sentries…  
  
A thought struck him. A simple plan really, but effective all the same; use a stun grenade to distract the guards while he made a break for the Armory. His mind made up, Snake clutched the cylinder canister of explosive potential tightly within his hand. The next few moments seemed to elapse in slow-motion; the pulling of the pin from the grenade, throwing the grenade far out into the open. The dash, the explosion; that's when everything crashed. Snake had run out too quickly, the spotlight-wielding soldiers saw through his plan, and was applauded with gunfire, accuracy increased by the aid of spotlights trained upon him. Bullets whizzed by, nearly missing their mark, instead met with the concrete floor with a snap and a ping.  
  
It was impossible. There was no way he could make it to the Armory without suffering severe injuries, and yet all the same, there seemed to be no cover at all…  
  
"The Spire!"  
  
Snake thought this to himself as he quickly shifted his direction, now aiming to reach the spire before he was shot. A bit too late; a bullet slashed across the top of his right shoulder, slicing the thin layer of sneaking suit material, and the top layer of skin. The sting was there, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and the situation at hand demanded that he ignore it.  
  
The Spire before him enlarged as his pace sped up, his legs pumping with the same intense and determined manner as they had before when running the all-too-familiar length of the concrete surface. The differences this time were evident however; these weren't snipers, and they weren't using tranquilizers. Another bullet grazed him, this time along his midsection as the Spire was nearly within reach. In a final, desperate attempt to close the distance gap, Snake applied a massive amount of pressure upon his legs, using the force as a springboard to catapult him forwards in a dive for the tower's door. As he did this, he covered his face with his arms, and tucked his legs underneath him in hopes the he would roll on impact. His body then slammed into the cold, hard surface of the floor, not as gently as he had hoped. As he thought, his body was sent into a tumble, albeit a clumsy one. The door of the towering structure opened and shut behind him as his somersault came to a halt, surprisingly, with him upright. Had it not been for the level 2 card, and the electronic devices that operated the door, his plan, and most likely his life, would have ended right there and then.  
  
Snake's breathing was exhausted as he slowly rose to his feet, surveying the interior of the tower. In front of him was a large life, something similar to the one in the third building of the Shadow Moses facility, more specifically, the one that led to Vulcan Raven's chamber. However, this lift did not appear to travel in a diagonal fashion, rather, a vertical one. To his upper-right, a staircase began, attached to the walls of the Spire, and spiraling upwards to the very top, or at least it seemed. The tower was very tall, and Snake was unable to see the entire height of the structure.  
  
Well, going outside was certainly out of the question, and would completely destroy the effort it took him to get here in the first place. If he wanted to continue, he would have to find a way into the first level basement. The only option was the lift. A quick investigation yielded bad news; it was just as Robert had said, it required a level 3 card. Perhaps there was such a card upstairs… With no other place to go, he'd might as well take a look. With caution, Snake began his ascent up the stairwell. The metal seemed old, and creaked under his boots as his feet pressed upon the steps. The interior was dark…damp, far different than the rest of The Dome, or at least the areas he had seen.  
  
It was when he had climbed about a third of the stairs when, for some reason still unknown to him, an intense feeling of uneasiness swept over him. Something…just wasn't right. The guards stationed at the tower should have come down to greet him; they had to have seen him come this way, and they certainly showed have known he was inside… What the hell was going on around here? Perhaps he was being paranoid…though his intuition was usually correct. Shadow Moses…the Tanker…even the Big Shell. In all these cases his uneasiness had been justified, why would it be any different here?  
  
The questions burning in his mind, his frantic manner of thinking, both made him oblivious to the warning signs that were so obviously displayed as a pair of footsteps could be heard. Someone was descending. By the time Snake had noticed, it was too late for an escape of any kind, but not a dodge. His head turned just in time to see his attacker pull the trigger of his USP. Instinctively, he leaped backwards to avoid the shot, but stumbled on the uneven surface of the stairs, and was met with the hard concrete of the wall, of which his back had slammed against firmly, resulting in a grunt of pain. Snake was quick to recover however, as a hand drew with lightning reflexes, his Glock. He glared upon the figure, smug, as indicated by his posture, slowly walking the steps of the Spire, his face masked by shadows, the result of poor lighting inside the tower.  
  
Even through the darkness however, Snake could see the man grin as he spoke. His voice indicated that he was young, but a firm man indeed.  
  
"I honestly didn't expect to be meeting you so soon. I guess we should have kept you under closer surveillance…"  
  
"Yeah, well, I have things to do, though perhaps you could thank that sniper of yours for that wonderful nap…"  
  
A laugh boomed from the darkened figure as he took yet another step, basking his figure in a dim light from a small lamp above them. His features were clear, as was his identity. The man was a Greek…  
  
"You…you're Zeta, aren't you?"  
  
It was more of a statement than a question. The man blinked in surprise. Obviously he didn't expect Snake to know his identity, though it only stunned him for a fraction of a second. His calm, if not arrogant persona returned as soon as it had disappeared.  
  
"I see my reputation precedes me…well…no matter. I'm not here for small talk."  
  
"Right…well…let's get this show on the road then…"  
  
It was a mutual understand among the two enemies. Neither was here for talking; they were soldiers. Trained in the art of battle, the two knew nothing else. Time seemed to slow down as dueling warriors stood, waiting for the other to make a move…  
  
It began. Zeta, his smug appearance replaced with a stern, concentrated look, leaped backwards up the stairwell with surprising speed and force. As he performed this maneuver, he quickly fired off several rounds from his USP, forcing Snake into a defensive position. Unable to avoid the bullets in any other way, he swiftly rolled to his left, down the stairwell. Once upright, Snake brought his Glock to bear, making his own offensive as several bullets from his Glock left the barrel, streaking towards the rival as he planted himself momentarily upon the wall behind him. This position was only held for a split-second however; using his leap, and the pressure pushed upon the wall behind him as a springboard, Zeta, defying all laws of physics, sprung forwards, flipped upwards, and landed firmly upon the stairs, one flight above the level he was upon just seconds ago.  
  
This went on for what seemed like an eternity, though in reality, it was over in less than an hour. Each of them had only sustained minor wounds thus far; all coming to a change very quickly. As Zeta evaded yet another round of gunfire from Snake, executed by flipping over a guardrail, in hopes that he would be able to steady himself two levels below. The man in the sneaking suit however, had anticipated this, as a result of carefully analyzing Zeta's style of fighting. As Zeta fell, Snake's gun was trained upon the level his opponent hoped to clamber upon. This did not go as the enemy had hoped; as his opponent gripped firmly upon the railing of that second level, hoisting himself upwards, albeit quickly, the Glock was fired. Zeta, unable to avoid, was hit by the rounds of .45 caliber bullets along his back and shoulders. A terrible yell of pain, followed by an agonizing scream, not from the pain, but from the realization that he had lost his grip. He fell, and all attempts to grip upon yet another guardrail failed. The ground came to meet him as the wind whipped by his face, stained with his own blood. Not another second had passed when a THUD coupled with a sickening CRUNCH met Snake's ears as he quickly made his way down the stairs.  
  
In a matter of minutes, Snake reached the bottom level, met with the sight of Zeta's mangled body, made all the more repulsive by the fact that Zeta, by some miracle, was still breathing, and still conscious. His Glock raised, he approached slowly, more out of instinct than anything. A liquid- like chuckle emanated from his fallen foe as he approached.  
  
"Put your weapon down…you must be a fool to think I'll be getting up anytime soon."  
  
Snake did as such, placing his Glock back within its holster, though his piercing glare never left, and neither did Zeta's grin, interrupted by a few moments of overwhelming pain, to which he winced.  
  
"I…guess they sent the right man after all…"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
Zeta did not answer. His breathing had stopped, his eyes had glazed over, and his body had gone limp. For once, an enemy didn't stick around long enough to blurt out his life's story.  
  
Though he felt somewhat awkward as he did, Snake gently lifted the body, setting it down along the nearest wall, leaning against it as it fell limp. Quickly, not wanting to remain in the presence of the dead a second longer than he had to, he checked Zeta's pockets, grinning at the sight of a level 3 security card. Another small miracle…  
  
He rose to his feat as the card was placed neatly in in one of his many pockets, replacing the level 2 card from the Army Ranger. Snake then approached the lift, stained with Zeta's blood, and ran the card through a scanner, much like though in grocery stores used for credit cards. With a click and a loud thrum, the elevator descended into the darkness. Leaving the dead to lie still. 


End file.
